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Tuesday, May 15, 2012

Lincoln Chafee, governor of Rhode Island, signed an order
on Monday declaring that the state must recognize same-sex marriages performed
elsewhere, giving gay couples the same rights as heterosexual ones when it
comes to health insurance and a slew of other benefits.

Take that, Colorado.

Take that, North Carolina.

Take that, GOP.

The order directs state agencies to recognize marriages
performed out of state as legal and treat same-sex married couples the same as
heterosexual ones because gay couples, married outside Rhode Island--where
civil unions are allowed, but gay marriage is illegal--are not afforded certain
rights because state law is not clear on the subject.

Back in 2007, then-Attorney General Patrick Lynch issued
an opinion in favor of recognizing out-of-state same-sex marriages, but it was
nonbinding. Chafee said his signing of the executive order is “following
through” on that opinion.

Now, in Rhode Island, same-sex spouses of state employees
and anyone covered by an insurance company regulated in Rhode Island will be
entitled to health and life insurance benefits; both partners in a same-sex
couple will be able to list their names as parents on a child’s birth
certificate; same-sex couples will be entitled to sales tax exemptions on the
transfer of property including vehicles.

But, it's not about money and exemptions and health
insurance, and parenting rights. It’s about equality. It's about having the
union of a committedcouple,of committedadults, be recognized as equal.

You heard the President say it, and now it's time for
everyone to get in line and join the Evolution.